by Tom Pelissero, USA TODAY Sports

by Tom Pelissero, USA TODAY Sports

GREEN BAY, Wis. - If Brett Favre has any concerns about how Green Bay Packers fans will react when he returns to Lambeau Field for induction into the team's hall of fame and retirement of his No. 4 jersey, former teammate Tramon Williams says not to worry.

"I think everyone's going to applaud him," said Williams, one of six players remaining from the last Packers team Favre played on in 2007. "Obviously, you hope that you don't get boos. But I think everyone's going to applaud it."

The Packers were expected to confirm in a Monday afternoon media conference that Favre, 44, will be inducted into the club's hall of fame next summer and have his number retired during the 2015 season.

It will be a long-awaited reunion for the legendary quarterback and the franchise with which he endured a nasty divorce during the 2008 offseason after first announcing his retirement, then reconsidering - and later playing two seasons with the rival Minnesota Vikings after a one-year stint with the New York Jets in 2008.

"The end of his career and going to Minnesota and those things are going to stick with some people," Williams said. "But he's done too much for the organization and everyone in the community. It's a good thing that they decided to do this now."

It was six years ago this week that Favre's exit from Green Bay was decided in extensive meetings with coach Mike McCarthy and general manager Ted Thompson, who stood by replacement Aaron Rodgers and ended up trading Favre to the Jets.

Favre nearly led the Jets to the playoffs before a biceps injury ruined his and the team's season down the stretch. He then retired and unretired again before signing with the Vikings and stoking severe backlash among Packers fans as he led Minnesota to the NFC Championship Game after the 2009 season.

"I feel like some people say he didn't go out with a lot of class and whatnot," said cornerback Jarrett Bush, who played with Favre in Green Bay in 2006 and '07.

"But at the end of the day, he was just trying to play football. As any guy, trying to provide for his family, he felt like he had more energy in the tank and he just wanted to play the game. You can't knock him for that."

Owner of most of the NFL's major career passing records, Favre won three consecutive MVP awards from 1995 to '97 and led the Packers to the Super Bowl in two of those years, winning one over the New England Patriots after the 1996 season.

He retired for good after two seasons with Minnesota, losing his last two starts against his old team, including 28-24 on Oct. 24, 2010, at Lambeau Field - his last known trip to the iconic stadium.

"I can't really speak for the fans," said fullback John Kuhn. "I would anticipate (the jersey is retired), it'll be a raucous crowd and it'll be a cool game environment for us."

Packers president/CEO Mark Murphy has said numerous times in recent years it was a matter of when, not if, Favre's number would be retired.

It will end up happening nearly eight years after Favre threw his last pass as a Packer: an interception to Corey Webster in overtime that set up the New York Giants' winning field goal in the NFC Championship Game at Lambeau after the 2007 season.

"It'll definitely be a very warm welcome," Bush said. "I feel like some people will cry. That's how I feel. Some people are so passionate about number 4, Brett Favre."